Puzzled

[Grahamh]

I'm doing a bit of research for an ongoing issue with my van and have come across something that, quite honestly, baffles me. An advert for a 2014 Elddis Xplore 530 on a dealers website and caravan finder website which, on face value, looks to be a bargain. When you look at the photos it soon becomes apparent (if you know what one looks like) that it is not a 2014 xplore530 at all. So I ring the dealer and ask why. The answer I am given is that 'no these are not pictures of the actual van but library pictures chosen by caravan finder'. How is that legal? Can't find a disclaimer anywhere on their site. This is not some small dealer but one with outlets in Swindon, Oxford and Reading and awards for excellence.

 

[Raywood]

If the photographs on the site do not match the real caravan because they are a completely different model then I would say that this is illegal. I suppose that before buying anyone would visit the site and view the caravan so a fraudulent sale looks unlikely. If I found that the photos were different to the caravan on sale I think I would immediately lose confidence in the dealer and walk away.
It is not good practice and is probably illegal, if you want to take it further then trading standards can probably advise.

 

[otherclive]

If the photographs on the site do not match the real caravan because they are a completely different model then I would say that this is illegal. I suppose that before buying anyone would visit the site and view the caravan so a fraudulent sale looks unlikely. If I found that the photos were different to the caravan on sale I think I would immediately lose confidence in the dealer and walk away.
It is not good practice and is probably illegal, if you want to take it further then trading standards can probably advise.

If the Dealer isn't prepared to show photos of the actual caravan for sale I would be cautious. Perhaps the actual caravan is still being prepared and their own photos are not ready. I had two occasions to use a dealership with outlets in that area. They were supposedly highly rated on surveys, but I found their customer service very poor and took my business eslehere.

 

[Grahamh]

Should probably add that I had no intention of buying another caravan but was doing research into Elddis Xplore 530 as to value with and without end caps (repair to rear panel). 🙂

 

[ProfJohnL]

I'm doing a bit of research for an ongoing issue with my van and have come across something that, quite honestly, baffles me. An advert for a 2014 Elddis Xplore 530 on a dealers website and caravan finder website which, on face value, looks to be a bargain. When you look at the photos it soon becomes apparent (if you know what one looks like) that it is not a 2014 xplore530 at all. So I ring the dealer and ask why. The answer I am given is that 'no these are not pictures of the actual van but library pictures chosen by caravan finder'. How is that legal? Can't find a disclaimer anywhere on their site. This is not some small dealer but one with outlets in Swindon, Oxford and Reading and awards for excellence.

Its not uncommon for third party sales sites to use a library picture when the actual item has not been photographed. This happens frequently on the likes of Ebay, and I have also seen it on some car sales web sites. But in each of those cases there has been a note telling the viewer a Library picture has been used. I don't see anything wrong with that provided it has been properly captioned and its not claimed to represent the condition of the item being sold.

It is deceitful to use a library picture to pass it off as the goods on sale, except if the goods are brand new, which is what a sale brochure effectively does!

 

[Brasso530]

Hi Graham,As you may remember,I have the same as you ,red lion have one( the correct model) on at £10,495.just been reduced.So should give you some price guide.

 

[Grahamh]

Yes I saw that but....look at the one with Swindon caravans from their Reading site and tell me if you spot the deliberate mistake ;-)

 

[Dustydog]

Very interesting. My local dealer and a runner up in PCv best dealer of the year.
I suspect in this day and age our expectations of an up to the minute web site fall short in the real commercial world. That said you can’t beat the real flesh 😗

 

[Brasso530]

Yes I saw that but....look at the one with Swindon caravans from their Reading site and tell me if you spot the deliberate mistake ;-)

It's just a 2013 model,all the pictures and info are all 2013 model.If they changed the heading to correct age then there's no problem.Its a lot more common than you would think,I remember when we bought ours,we searched and searched and the amount of 2013 explores that were advertised as 2014 ones was remarkable,the difference in the two models is massive.

 

[Mel]

My experience of Caravan finder is that the photos clearly say “library photo” underneath the pictures of a van on a dealers listing. Private listings vary. Don’t think this is deceitful as it is clearly stated.
Mel

 

[Brasso530]

I don't think it's intentional,it's just if you know what a 2014 explore looks like,the photo might as well be of a buccaneer ,totally different model and construction.

 

[Raywood]

I'm doing a bit of research for an ongoing issue with my van and have come across something that, quite honestly, baffles me. An advert for a 2014 Elddis Xplore 530 on a dealers website and caravan finder website which, on face value, looks to be a bargain. When you look at the photos it soon becomes apparent (if you know what one looks like) that it is not a 2014 xplore530 at all. So I ring the dealer and ask why. The answer I am given is that 'no these are not pictures of the actual van but library pictures chosen by caravan finder'. How is that legal? Can't find a disclaimer anywhere on their site. This is not some small dealer but one with outlets in Swindon, Oxford and Reading and awards for excellence.

Its not uncommon for third party sales sites to use a library picture when the actual item has not been photographed. This happens frequently on the likes of Ebay, and I have also seen it on some car sales web sites. But in each of those cases there has been a note telling the viewer a Library picture has been used. I don't see anything wrong with that provided it has been properly captioned and its not claimed to represent the condition of the item being sold.

It is deceitful to use a library picture to pass it off as the goods on sale, except if the goods are brand new, which is what a sale brochure effectively does!

Hi Prof, I think the problem here is not just that it is a library photo, but it is the wrong years photo and the actual caravan is different, albeit not a lot. In this case the saving grace may be that it is the previous years model so that would be worth less the the one on sale. Possibly carelessness rather than trying to decieve.

 

[Grey13]

Unless they state below in small print as amazon RS and screwfix sometimes do that the image is not necessarily the true picture.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hi Prof, I think the problem here is not just that it is a library photo, but it is the wrong years photo and the actual caravan is different, albeit not a lot. In this case the saving grace may be that it is the previous years model so that would be worth less the the one on sale. Possibly carelessness rather than trying to decieve.

Hello Ray,

I think you are probably correct, :huh: Manager probably tasked the tea lady to find a photo to put in the advert. 😉